Marino back with Dolphins as special advisor

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Dan Marino, former National Football League quarterback for the Miami Dolphins, throws a pass during a news conference, Wednesday, April 2, 2008, in Tallahassee, Fla. (AP Photo/Phil Coale)

MIAMI (AP) - Dan Marino is returning to the Miami Dolphins.

Marino was announced Sunday as a newly hired special adviser to Dolphins owner Stephen Ross, a move that has been expected for some time. Miami NBC affiliate WTVJ first reported that Marino would return to the team.

Marino was briefly with the Dolphins in 2004 as their senior vice president of football operations, resigning after less than a month citing family and other reasons. He spent the last decade primarily as an NFL analyst for CBS.

Marino was at Dolphins practice this past week, seen chatting on the field with coach Joe Philbin. The specifics of Marino's new role are not yet known, with the team saying he will "work with the organization in a variety of different capacities."

"I'm grateful for the opportunity to serve in this role," Marino said. "I have always considered myself a Dolphin for life and I look forward to supporting the organization any way I can. Stephen Ross is a passionate guy who is committed to building a first-class, winning organization. I'm excited about the future of the team and where the organization is headed."

Marino and the Dolphins have been in talks about a formal return to the franchise for some time, though it's not as if he hasn't been a mainstay within the organization throughout retirement. Marino was one of the people Ross reached out to last year in an effort to help find ways to get the Dolphins through the locker-room bullying scandal that overshadowed the 2013 season.

"Dan is and will always be an important part of the Miami Dolphins and we are excited to get him involved in a more formal way," Ross said. "Dan is unquestionably one of the greatest players in NFL history and his enthusiasm and passion for the Dolphins is inspiring to everyone here."

Marino is the Dolphins' all-time leader in numerous passing categories. Miami used the No. 27 overall pick on him in the 1983 draft and he spent his entire career with the team, throwing for 61,361 yards and 420 touchdowns in 242 games.

The Pro Football Hall of Famer has had his No. 13 jersey retired by the Dolphins, and it's still extremely popular among the fans. His status in South Florida is such that his Dolphin jersey is even immortalized by the Miami Heat, who have it mounted on a wall over the stands in their home arena.